Flush tank valve



0 M 0 3 a v E L. H. MINELLA FLUSH TANK VALVE Filed May 8, 1956 Lil/fan H. M/'ne//a INVENTOR.

May 6, 19 58 United States Patent FLUSH TANK VALVE Lillian H. Minella, Houston, Tex.

Application May 8, 1956, Serial No. 583,460

1 Claim. (Cl. 4-57) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in toilet flush tank valves and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character comprising novel means for guiding the valve or bulb to its seat and ensuring its proper engagement therewith after each flushing operation.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a flush tank valve of the aforementioned character which will be comparatively simple in construction, durable, compact, highly eflicient and reliable in use and which may be manufactured and installed at low cost.

These together with the objects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section through a flush tank valve constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view in vertical section through the device, showing the bulb valve in open position; and

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section, taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that reference character 4 designates an outlet pipe or connection having threaded thereon a nut 5 for securing said outlet pipe or connection in position in an opening 6 provided therefor in the bottom 7 of a flush tank 8. Formed integrally with the upper portion of the outlet pipe 4 is an extension 9 from which the usual overflow pipe 10 rises. Reference character 11 designates generally a conventional float arm for controlling the flow of water into the tank 8.

Formed integrally with the outlet pipe 4 is an inwardly radially extending arm 12. The arm 12 has formed vertically therein a threaded opening 13 which is located centrally in the outlet pipe 4. The opening 13 is provided with a reduced, unthreaded lower end portion providing a flange 14.

Mounted on the arm 12 and extending through the opening 13 is a vertical guide tube 15 of suitable material, preferably metal. The guide tube 15 is provided, at an intermediate point, with a threaded collar or flange 16 which is adapted to be screwed downwardly in the opening 13 into abutting engagement with the flange 14. The guide tube 15 has pressed into its upper end portion a pair of vertically spaced, circumferential centering ribs 17 and 18 for a vertically slida'ble stem 19 which is operable in the guide tube 15. The stem 19 is provided on its lower end with a ball head 20 which also centers and stabilizes said stem in the guide tube 15. The head 20 is engageable with the rib 18 for positively limiting the upward movement of the stem 19. The lower end portion of the guide tube 15 is provided with a circumferential, inwardly pressed rib 21 which is substantially similar to the ribs 17 and 18 and with which the head 20 is engageable for positively limiting the downward movement .bulb type valve 22 which is engageable with a seat 23 provided therefor on the upper end of the outlet pipe or connection 4. The bulb 22 is of suitable resilient material and depending from the top portion 23' thereof is a substantially frusto-conical member 24 having embedded vertically therein a threaded bushing or sleeve 25 into which the stem 19 is screwed for mounting said bulb on said stem. 7

Embedded in the top portion 23 of the bulb 22 in vertical alignment with the bushing 25 and spaced therefrom is a similar bushing 26. A lift rod 27 is threaded into the bushing 26. The lift rod 27 terminates at its upper end in a ball 28. A coupling 29 on the lower end of a bead-type lift chain 39, which depends from the usual vertically swingable operating arm 31 in the tank 8, is

engaged with the ball 28 for swivelly connecting the stem 27 to said chain.

It is thought that the operation of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, when the toilet is flushed the arm 31 is swung upwardly in the usual manner for lifting the bulb 22 to raised or open position, as seen in Figure 2 of the drawing, through the medium of the elements 30, 29, 27, etc. Upward movement of the bulb 22 is arrested when the head 20 engages the guide rib 18. However, the construction and arrangement of parts is such that the bulb 22 may he lifted high enough to be out of the path of the outwardly rushing water. A stop 32 is mounted on the overflow pipe 10 for preventing the float arm 11 from swinging downwardly far enough 'as the water level drops in the tank 8 to interfere with the operation of the bulb 22. The stop 32 includes a ring 33 having mounted thereon an arm 34 which is engageable beneath the float arm 11 for arresting and supporting said float arm in the desired position. The arm 34 is threaded through the ring 33 and engaged with the overflow pipe 10 for securing the stop 32 in adjusted position on said overflow pipe. When the flush tank 8 is substantially empty the bulb 22 drops by gravity to closed position on the seat 23 in an obvious manner. The stem 19, traveling in the tube 15, maintains the bulb 22 in vertical alignment with the seat 23 at all times and ensures its proper engagement therewith. The flange 14 frictionally locks the collar 16 against loosening in the opening 13.

While the invention is intended primarily for toilet flush tanks it may, of course, be used for any other purpose for which it may be found adapted. The tubular guide 15 may be of any suitable external shape to facilitate screwing same into the opening 13 with the fingers. The resilient member 24, which may also be of any desired shape and dimensions, allows suflicient flexibility at this point, if required, to ensure proper seating of the valve 22 7 to the exact construction and operation described, and

accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A flush tank valve of the character described comprising: a vertical outlet pipe mounted in the bottom of the flush tank, a seat on the upper end of said outlet pipe, a horizontal arm in the outlet pipe, said arm having a threaded opening extending vertically therethrough, said opening including a reduced, unthreaded lower end portion providing a flange, a guide tube mounted on the arm Patented May 6, 1958 and extending through the opening, a collar on said guide tube at 21 intermediate, point threaded into the opening' of said stem, the last named means including internal circumferential ribs at vertically spaced points in the guide tube and a ball head on the lower end of the stem operableqin the tube for stabilizing the stern therein and engageable with certain of said ribs for limiting the slidl 4 ing movement of said stem in opposite directions in the tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 245,318 Robertson Aug. 9, 1881 1,518,699 Nolop Dec. 9, 1924 1,699,890 Hill Jan. 22, 1929 2,330,925 Rosano Oct. 5, 1943 2,561,877 Limongelli July 24, 1951 2,735,112 Myers Feb. 21, 1956 

